You've probably seen these commercials a few times. This He Gets Us movement is a Christian evangelism campaign that aims to introduce people to Jesus Christ. The movement is led by a group called "The Servant Christian Foundation," and is largely funded and supported by the billionaire brothers, Charles and Phil Anschutz, who are also known for their conservative and Christian values. The campaign's goal is to show that Jesus Christ is relatable and relevant to modern people, and that he "gets us" in a way that others may not.
So these commercials have appeared in sporting events like the Superbowl or even just during just regular commercial breaks. You might even see billboard signs from the campaign on the highway.
I have to admit, it's not a bad thing to get people into Jesus. I certainly commend the movement. But here's the problem I have with it. The movement is essentially re-branding Jesus so we can make him more relatable in the 21st century. Maybe we are giving people the wrong impression about Jesus. Do we really need to re-brand him?
So Jesus struggled to make ends meet? No he DID NOT! Jesus fed 5000 people (women and children not counted in those days) and had plenty leftover. Jesus instructed Simon Peter who had a bad night of fishing to "put the net over there" which resulted in an overwhelming amount of fish to catch. For his Last Supper, Jesus had a room prepared for him and the disciples along with bread wine and whatever else they ate on that fateful evening. Jesus had everything he needed and gave to those with abundance. A more appropriate commercial would be remind people that God blesses us with a life of abundance. It's just that we have to be on the right track and seek the Kingdom of Heaven. And I get it ... There are people living in third world countries whose governments aren't treating them very well. That's a story for a different day. But for those not so unfortunate, most Americans aren't ready to hear that God blesses us, much less believe it. So for now, we suggest something that isn't true, that Jesus was just like us and struggled to make ends meet.
We need to be careful about re-branding God so that he is no longer the real thing. In the letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament it is said that Jesus understands us because he was one of us. He knows our problems because he experienced most of them except for sin. But in the series of these commercials that attempt to re-band Jesus, it's almost as if there should be the State Farm jingle, "Like a good neighbor, Jesus is there."
While shoveling your driveway, does he shovel your neighbor's as well? Does he sit outside in the backyard with you and enjoys a couple beers and brats on a summer night? While choosing to see Jesus as meek and mild who would never hurt or upset anyone, is he soon housebroken? Does he run outside and fetch your morning paper for you? What sort of Jesus is he?
You see, the Jesus described in the Bible is a very controversial figure. He shook things up. That's why they wanted to kill him. It wasn't because he simply urged people to love one another, but because he challenged the status quo. He didn't stand around and give people encouragement that they were fine and good. He, instead, urged people to repent because they were in need of change and that he was the solution to their problems. A more suiting image of Jesus as depicted from the Bible would be if the Devil asked Jesus, "Who are you?" and Jesus answers, "Your worst nightmare!" Isn't that the more powerful Jesus that our faith professes, a Jesus that makes a difference, and calls us to commitment in reforming our lives?
Re-branding nearly trivializes Jesus. Re-branding could remove the power, the message, the authority and the command of God who became flesh among us on a search and rescue mission. Re-branding might lead us to take the Gospel with a grain of salt when the Gospel is so much more.
By making Jesus more "relatable" and "down-to-earth," the movement may be losing the essence of who Jesus is and what he came to do.
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